We have a diagnosis
So, after a long weekend of wondering what type of cancer Logan has, the docs told us today that they believe it is a variant of the Wilms tumor called Blastemal Wilms Tumor (sp?). It typically responds well to chemo and is in the "more favorable" category. This news is such a relief. We are obviously up against many issues and things that could go wrong in this long process, but today we got great news and we are very happy. We got lots of answers about the treatment as well.
Today, Logan had his power port placed (his line to access his veins, like a pic line, but placed completely under the skin on his chest. When they need to access it they put a needle into the skin where the port is and there is tubing coming out kind of like an IV or any other type of line. However, when it is not "accessed" you can't see anything on the outside at all. So weird. Think Iron Man. It's crazy.)
Through that port he received his first chemo treatment. We will continue this regimen once a week for 6 weeks. After that, they will evaluate to see if it has shrunken down enough to do surgery. The doctor said patients with Logan's staging (He never said what stage, but it's not one of the low stages. We assumed that would be the case based on the fact that it has gone to the lungs and is very large and pressing on some other organs. But, it is all treatable) typically go for another 6 week round before they are ready for surgery. So, I'm just planning on 12 weeks of chemo before they take out his kidney and possibly take some of his liver and pieces of another organ that I can't think of right now. They will know during the surgery what needs to come out based on a few things that I'm too tired to write about, but basically how easily some tumor that has gone into a vein comes out when they take the kidney. (it is late and I am exhausted and I'm totally not checking this for coherency or grammar so hopefully this kind of makes sense). In the same time frame of the surgery they will also do radiation to all of the areas where there are cancer cells. He will have a few week recovery in the hospital and then will start his in patient chemo which is a little more intense and requires 3-5 days in the hospital each time. That will be done every 3 weeks (these are all best case scenarios assuming Logan's body can handle it all. That will go on for I can't remember how many rounds, but the entire process, with no hang ups, is about 8 months start to finish. So, we are very grateful to have a timeline to work with and to be starting the chemo to shrink that little bugger (and by little I mean huge ;)).
So, there's that. Logan is rocking and told me today, "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling comforted!" Inside I was moved beyond words by his sweet little thought but tried to play it cool on the outside. As a mother, the worst thing about it all is to see my little man suffer, so to know that he is not dealing with this alone and that he is feeling comfort is the best news of it all. He told me again today that he hasn't been worried at all, he has just been sad. I keep getting these amazing glimpses of this amazing wisdom and faith from this little 7 year old boy and it's throwing me every time. He was actually playing his new DS (that's been a real spirit lifter. Thank you wonderful family) as he was telling me this. He paused it for a minute to look at me and say that and then just moved on. He said that it has been sad to see me worried and sad. I told him I was sad because he was sad. So, we made a deal. Neither of us get sad and then neither of us will be sad. Then we laughed and quit talking about it.
I know I am giving you all way too much info, and honestly, some of it is probably more personal stuff that I would write in my journal just for me, but I don't have it in me to do both right now and I don't want to forget the sweet moments during this journey because these are the learning/teaching moments that I think it's a shame to forget. These are the moments God wants us to feel and learn and remember, so that's why they are here tonight. Thank you all for your complete and total awesomeness. Dan mentioned last night that the reason the love is so strong is because we are all united in this cause. No one wants Logan to struggle or hurt or lose this battle. Every single one of the people who knows about this and is praying and hoping with us, wants Logan to win. Apply that how you will, but I thought that was a pretty profound thought and certainly makes me look at some things differently. Thanks Dan. And thanks to all of you.
Today, Logan had his power port placed (his line to access his veins, like a pic line, but placed completely under the skin on his chest. When they need to access it they put a needle into the skin where the port is and there is tubing coming out kind of like an IV or any other type of line. However, when it is not "accessed" you can't see anything on the outside at all. So weird. Think Iron Man. It's crazy.)
Through that port he received his first chemo treatment. We will continue this regimen once a week for 6 weeks. After that, they will evaluate to see if it has shrunken down enough to do surgery. The doctor said patients with Logan's staging (He never said what stage, but it's not one of the low stages. We assumed that would be the case based on the fact that it has gone to the lungs and is very large and pressing on some other organs. But, it is all treatable) typically go for another 6 week round before they are ready for surgery. So, I'm just planning on 12 weeks of chemo before they take out his kidney and possibly take some of his liver and pieces of another organ that I can't think of right now. They will know during the surgery what needs to come out based on a few things that I'm too tired to write about, but basically how easily some tumor that has gone into a vein comes out when they take the kidney. (it is late and I am exhausted and I'm totally not checking this for coherency or grammar so hopefully this kind of makes sense). In the same time frame of the surgery they will also do radiation to all of the areas where there are cancer cells. He will have a few week recovery in the hospital and then will start his in patient chemo which is a little more intense and requires 3-5 days in the hospital each time. That will be done every 3 weeks (these are all best case scenarios assuming Logan's body can handle it all. That will go on for I can't remember how many rounds, but the entire process, with no hang ups, is about 8 months start to finish. So, we are very grateful to have a timeline to work with and to be starting the chemo to shrink that little bugger (and by little I mean huge ;)).
So, there's that. Logan is rocking and told me today, "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling comforted!" Inside I was moved beyond words by his sweet little thought but tried to play it cool on the outside. As a mother, the worst thing about it all is to see my little man suffer, so to know that he is not dealing with this alone and that he is feeling comfort is the best news of it all. He told me again today that he hasn't been worried at all, he has just been sad. I keep getting these amazing glimpses of this amazing wisdom and faith from this little 7 year old boy and it's throwing me every time. He was actually playing his new DS (that's been a real spirit lifter. Thank you wonderful family) as he was telling me this. He paused it for a minute to look at me and say that and then just moved on. He said that it has been sad to see me worried and sad. I told him I was sad because he was sad. So, we made a deal. Neither of us get sad and then neither of us will be sad. Then we laughed and quit talking about it.
I know I am giving you all way too much info, and honestly, some of it is probably more personal stuff that I would write in my journal just for me, but I don't have it in me to do both right now and I don't want to forget the sweet moments during this journey because these are the learning/teaching moments that I think it's a shame to forget. These are the moments God wants us to feel and learn and remember, so that's why they are here tonight. Thank you all for your complete and total awesomeness. Dan mentioned last night that the reason the love is so strong is because we are all united in this cause. No one wants Logan to struggle or hurt or lose this battle. Every single one of the people who knows about this and is praying and hoping with us, wants Logan to win. Apply that how you will, but I thought that was a pretty profound thought and certainly makes me look at some things differently. Thanks Dan. And thanks to all of you.
2 people got him hats and he loves them so much!
Feeling great after a long, hard day
And, I have to sneak these in because a friend gave us tickets to Game 3 and it was such a fun distraction. The boys were beyond excited.
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